Variety in Using Language and Dayak Bidayuh Language Reviewed
from Society's Attitude as a Preservation of Language in the Border
Region of West Kalimantan
Netty Yuniarti, Andoyo Sastromiharjo, Dadang Suhendar and Yeti Mulyati
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Dayak Bidayuh, Attitude, Reservation of Language.
Abstract: The purpose of study was to describe the variety of regional language and Dayak Bidayuh language used in
the border of West Kalimantan. Regional language mainly used in governmental institution, and Dayah
Bidayuh language mainly used as the daily language. The attitude of language use is very important for a
person live in bilingual or multilingual society. This attitude in using language can influence someone to use
certain language, such as members of Dayak Binayuh society, who lives in border region in West
Kalimantan. Regional language and Dayah Bidayuh language are endangered, which caused by language
shift from Dayak Bidayuh language to Malaysian language, because the society is located in the border
region of Indonesia-Malaysia. Qualitative method with communication ethnography approach was used in
this study. The research data sources are members of Dayak Bidayuh society in the border of West
Kalimantan, and their speech were used as data in this study. The data in this study collected through
observations, interviews, and documentation. The research results shows that the attitude of language use in
Dayak Bidayuh society portrayed their effort in reserving their regional language and Dayah Bidayuh
language, so as not to become extinct.
1 INTRODUCTION
The linguistic phenomenon in Indonesia was shown
that in general the society are mastering more than
one language, i.e. the mother tongue is the regional
language as the first language and the Indonesian
language as the second language becomes bilingual
society, even into multilingual society, which is
mastering more than two language. Based on the
concept of sociolinguistics, Indonesian society
includes in multilingual society, even the
monolingual speakers are minority in Indonesia
(Darmojuwono, 2011).
Various languages that exist in Indonesia are
verbal expression of diversity of Indonesian cultural.
Unlike the Indonesian language which is the national
language and the symbol of national identity, the
regional languages seen from social-psychological
aspects are social identity related to ethnic
background and part of a speaker’s identity
(Darmojuwono, 2011). The regional language for
Indonesian society generally are the first language
learned in the socialization process, although it is
possible that in language processing a speaker learns
more than one language at a time.
Problems that arise in the Dayak Bidayuh society
are symptom of decreasing the quality of language
mastering and the use of regional language among
rural children and youth generation become
inheritance (transmission) of regional languages
between generations of speakers are began to falter.
According to Tamrin (2014) today many regional
languages were threatened extinction because of
regional languages that are not maintained by
speakers, let alone the smaller speaker number will
experience extinction. Furthermore Sutjaja (2006)
languages die because they are not used by speakers
in verbal communication in a number of important
spheres such as among families. People prefer to use
language that is considered more prestigious, more
prestigious, more modern, moreover instrumentally
more economic value.
The extinction of regional languages can be
minimized by looking at the language attitude of the
society because the language attitudes are very
decisive in order to maintain a language because the
Yuniarti, N., Sastromiharjo, A., Suhendar, D. and Mulyati, Y.
Variety in Using Language and Dayak Bidayuh Language Reviewed from Society’s Attitude as a Preservation of Language in the Border Region of West Kalimantan.
DOI: 10.5220/0007173607050709
In Proceedings of the Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference
on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education (CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017) - Literacy, Culture, and Technology in Language Pedagogy and Use, pages 705-709
ISBN: 978-989-758-332-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
705

language attitude can influence a person to use the
language, and not another language in the midst of
bilingual or multilingual society. There are two
conflicting language attitudes: positive and negative
attitudes. Language users are said to be positively
when their degree of acting inclination is in high or
strong scale to their language. Their actions are
based on their senses of pride, loyalty, respect, and
conscious to their language. Conversely a negative
attitude if a person or a group of people no longer
have the passion, encouragement, and desire to
maintain the independence of the mastered language.
Language attitude is the behavior of the speakers
in use based on loyalty, pride, and awareness that
was applied to use what language on a particular
context. It is closely associated with the defense of
language because it is the right benchmark whether
that language to knocked out or persist and dignified
for the speakers.
Language attitude became important in order
defense language because it can affect the person to
use their language. It associated with the language of
loyalty and loyalty when the language associated
with a contact in two languages or more could
ascertain the community, then theoretically there are
three possibilities of usage of language. First
possibility would occur or the intermingling of the
unification of two languages to a new language
eventually gave birth to a commonly referred to as
pidgin. The second possibility, the old language lost
and shifted by the language that came later to the
community so that there was a great shift in the
language. The possibility of a third language of the
old and new languages co-exist and both languages
are concerned the sharing function. In this kind of
condition, consciously or not, the old language are
retained by the community concerned. This is called
by the defense language. This can happen with the
language on the ethnic in Borneo as Dayak Bidayuh.
Bidayuh is part of the Dayak society that has a
language with characteristics and distinctive of
Bidayuh or Bidoih. Their language distinctiveness
was classed by language experts and researchers as
part of the language group of the Bidayuhic group. It
is a name for a group of Dayak society living in the
interior of West Kalimantan. Bidayuh not only exist
in West Kalimantan, it can also be found in Sarawak
East Malaysia. They can easily be found along the
border between West Kalimantan-Indonesia and
Sarawak-Malaysia. The both of Bidayuh are not
different because both are the same of Bidayuh only
separated by the political administrative line
between countries. Bidayuh in Sarawak their
population and existence are more developed when
compared with Bidayuh in West Kalimantan. Thus,
the use of regional languages (Dayak Bidayuh
language) will be increasingly reduced the
frequency.
Border region of West Kalimantan in Indonesia
that was to be a place of research and data retrieval
is done in district of Sanggau-Entikong. Entikong
was chosen because it is an area of border official
Indonesia-Malaysia and is the main road of the
mobility of the inhabitants of the two countries. In
addition, the Dayak Bidayuh population are also
scattered Entikong and Tebedu (Sarawak, Malaysia)
making it possible to get good research data about
the attitude of the people speaking. This is supported
by the fact that trade between countries is done by
the same community with appropriate context
variable language.
Research concerning the maintenance of
Bidayuh Dayak language is a manifestation of
efforts to maintain and preserve the Dayak Bidayuh
language so that language is spared from extinction.
In addition, it was expected that Dayak Bidayuh
language can be played as much as possible in
various sphere and life order of the supporters. Such
efforts ultimately not only strengthen regional
resilience through the language using, but also at the
same time strengthen the nation’s resilience.
The factors of Dayak Kenyah language shifting
that occurs in the speaker society, are including of
factors of prestige, migration, regional
concentration, mass media publicity, and lack of
Dayah Kenyah language mastering. While the
preserving efforts of Dayak Kenyah language
including defence efforts in the family, traditional
markets, religious activities, indigenous activities,
and art performances.
2 RESEARCH METHODS
The research method was used qualitative method.
This study was used the communication
ethnographic approach. This approach was used to
understand the meaning of inter-ethnic
communication phenomena. Inter-ethnic
communication is the relationship between
individuals of different cultures (Samovar in
Suyitno, 2006). Interethnic communication takes
place within the diglossic speech community. The
meaning of diglossic refers to conditions about the
stable of language using (Suyitno, 2006). Data
collecting techniques were used observation,
interview, and documentation. According to
Sugiyono (2014) the parameters were used to
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
706

measure attitudes are the ability, impression, using,
and transmission either vertically or horizontally to
fellow generation.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Attitude is the activity of cognition, affixation, and
tendencies acting someone who is relatively fixed
nature. The trend heading into one object, either an
individual or an institution. That attitude is a source
of cultural, family, and personal. Experts have
different opinions about the attitude. Some are
assumed, that attitude is a determining factor in the
deed, but there is also argued to the contrary i.e. a
decisive attitude. Without the need to sharpen the
differences of opinions of experts, let alone argue it
compellingly, certainly between attitudes and deeds
difficult separated because both have a very tight
relationship. Attitude with regard to what was
thought, felt, and would like to be done by a person
in respect of the existence of something
circumstances. While it appears that deeds are
always determined by the prevailing social norms,
habits are wont to do, and by the thought of what
might appear when the deed was done, and not just
by sheer desire is based.
If the attitude is associated with language, then
one thing cannot be denied that the language is not
only an objective, not just tools or instruments that
are social to deliver neutral meaning, but relate with
the identity of a social group or ethnic. If there are
strong links between language and identity of the
wearer so that relationship will be revealed in the
individual attitude towards the language and the
wearer. Individually language serves as a tool and is
a maid thought processes at once in social is a tool
of social interaction or communication. Language as
a tool relies on the human who uses it. In other
words evolved and the demise of the language, not
the language, as well as the defense power of the
language depends on the community's use.
According to Moeliono (1985) was described
language attitudes related to the language
development into six parts, namely (1) attitudes that
underestimate the quality of the language parallel to
the language attitude, (2) the attitude that like to
break through, (3) attitudes of low dignity, (4)
attitudes away from discipline, (5) reluctance to
assume responsibility, and (6) attitudes takes over
diction and style. According Sugiyono (2014) in
relation to language wisdom, language attitudes are
more decisive and affect the effectiveness of policies
taken. The language attitude also determines
whether the language that a society used is better or
worse than any other language.
In Indonesia, the regional language or mother
tongue (minor language) is always in harmony with
the major language/s as well as mutually plays an
important role. The national language as a unifying
language is sometimes intimidating regional
language so it is needed to set a clear regulation as
an attempt in preserving regional language.
According to Crystal (2000), the preservation of
regional languages also need to be done and
certainly has a purpose as follows:
 realizing cultural diversities;
 maintaining ethnic identity;
 allows social adaptability;
 adding safe feeling psychologically for
children/person;
 improve linguistic sensitivity.
The fifth goal on top of one another interlocked
in the context of culture. Empowering regional
languages should be a part of a strategy in
preserving culture.
The idea that cultural content is reflected in the
language is widely expressed by experts. Boaz (in
Wahab, 1995) confirms that the relationship of
language and culture is not only the relationship
between the mind and the reciprocal language but
also between language and custom, between
language and behaviour, as well as between ethnic
and language changes happening in the culture.
Linguistic anthropology can be divided into four
areas, namely, physical, linguistic, cultural, and
archaeological.
In terms of physical human beings grow and
develop by way of adapting to the environment in
which it is located, e.g. people who live on the coast
or a hot place, less stand in a cool place or the
mountains, and vice versa. These things have an
impact on how the pronunciation of a word or
sentence. The unique thing about speakers’ attitudes
and language strategies in communicating this is
very exciting to be examined is no exception
regarding the Dayak Bidayuh language in West
Kalimantan, which borders Malaysia.
Language attitude data comes from observation
and interview result. Aspects of taken data are
loyalty, pride, and awareness of language norms.
The data are analysed qualitatively. Suhati and
Solihah (2015) explain the data was categorized to
be very good, good, and less good. Based on the
findings analysis results were obtained by
researchers in Entikong District, the respondents
were born and developed in Dayak Bidayuh society,
Variety in Using Language and Dayak Bidayuh Language Reviewed from Society’s Attitude as a Preservation of Language in the Border
Region of West Kalimantan
707

but their tendency to use mixed language between
Bidayuh and Malay language. One of the factors that
influenced is the environment where they live were
visited by many tourists who want to neighbouring
countries of Malaysia. Locals people are selling in
the border area are in direct contact with tourists.
Tourists who come from different backgrounds
required Dayak Bidayuh people in the border are
used Indonesian language to interact with them.
Language attitudes, especially teenagers to the
Dayak Bidayuh language pertained not positive or
less good. This is evident from the interview
process, when teenagers telling stories using Dayak
Bidayuh language is not purely using the Dayak
Bidayuh language but still mixed with other regional
languages, especially Malay language. According to
Sukma (2017) one of the causes is the respondents’
language habits in outside of home environment that
then affect when they are outside the home. As they
interact with others, other regional languages are
used more often. This habit slowly shifts the Dayak
Bidayuh language from their using.
In the framework of defence of Indonesian
language and Dayak Bidayuh language in order not
to be displaced by the Malaysia language or other
regional languages should be started from the
Indonesian language coaching in the school
environment and Dayak Bidayuh in the family
environment. Family and school are the gateways in
instilling good values to the child. Efforts to
maintain Indonesian language and Dayak language
among adolescents can also be done by fostering a
positive attitude of youth towards national language
and mother tongue. The development can be realized
by forming a collection or community of language.
In the community at least emerge concern of
adolescent to Dayak Bidayuh language. This is most
likely to happen because the members were used
Dayak Bidayuh language to greet and interact each
other.
The lack of references to the Dayak Bidayuh in
West Kalimantan can be understandably because not
many people are interested in writing and archiving
data about Dayak Bidayuh. It also aggravated again
because it has not seen an interest of its own people,
Dayak Bidayuh raised about who they are into
various forms of documentation. It is expected that
more researchers are able to examine and document
the data about the existence of Dayak Bidayuh,
particularly in the District of Sanggau-Entikong. If
similar research continued, then the literature on
Dayak Bidayuh will evolve and will become
treasures of the literature world. The existence of
literature will facilitate generation of Dayak Bidayuh
and the world community to get ideas about the
language defense strategy which can conducted in
variety of activities such as socializing about the
attitude towards language, and also the strategies for
language defence.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Indonesian people have many tribes and regional
languages were caused the using of multi-language
in the communication process cannot be avoided.
The use of other regional languages and foreign
languages in border areas cannot be avoided. The
language attitudes of Dayak society in the border
area of West Kalimantan can maintain the
Indonesian language used in government institutions
and Dayak Bidayuh language that was used as a
colloquial language. Language attitudes are crucial
in order to preserve a language because language
attitudes are capable of influencing a person to use
his language, not another language in a bilingual or
multilingual society. The language attitude can
affect a person to use their language especially
Dayak Bidayuh people who live in the border area in
West Kalimantan. Indonesian language and Dayak
Bidayuh language are threatened with extinction or
disappearance due to the shift of Dayak Bidayuh
language to Malaysian language because the people
are located in the border area of Indonesia-Malaysia.
There is a need for Dayak Bidayuh language and
Indonesian language community to build a positive
attitude towards the language used by the people in
Entikong Sub-district and used the Dayak Bidayuh
language and Indonesian language orderly according
to their position and function.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors convey thanks to the supervisor who
have given a lot of input to the author to complete
this article. They are Andoyo Sastromiharjo, Dadang
Suhendar and Yeti Mulyati as language researchers
in Indonesia University of Education in Bandung.
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